We’re often told that neuroplasticity means the brain can become anything if we try hard enough. That idea sounds hopeful. It’s also wrong. And for many people, quietly harmful.

In this episode, I clarify what neuroplasticity actually is and what it isn’t.

Your brain can change its connections in response to experience. It can strengthen skills, build coping strategies, and learn new patterns.

What it cannot do is erase core wiring or neurodevelopmental architecture.

Autistic brains don’t become neurotypical.

ADHD brains don’t turn into calm, linear machines.

Sensitive nervous systems don’t become robust through force.

From here on, I’ll be teaching how to work with your brain rather than demanding impossible transformations from it. Meaningful change starts with respecting the structure you’re already living in.

Research referenced in this episode:

Neuroplasticity allows the brain to change through experience — primarily by strengthening, weakening, and reweighting neural connections — but it does not remove core neurodevelopmental wiring or temperament. Evidence from neuroscience and psychology shows that skills, habits, and regulation can improve across the lifespan, while baseline sensory sensitivity, cognitive style, and processing traits remain strongly constrained.

Neuroplasticity involves synaptic, structural, and network-level change — not unlimited rewiring

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/13/12/1610

Core neurodevelopmental traits in autism and ADHD are stable across the lifespan, with adaptation occurring via strategy and environment rather than normalization

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11079289/

Stress impairs learning and plasticity; safety and support enhance adaptive change

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5579396/

Differences in plasticity patterns in autistic brains (heterogeneous findings across studies)

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12136586/

Models emphasizing accommodation over correction in ADHD and autism

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1617192/full

About the channel

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, busy lives, caregiving, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change - in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance that might just change your mind.

Disclaimer

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights - not clinical recommendations.

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

Work With Me

https://johannakate.com.au

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #disabilityparenting #mentalload #burnoutprevention #autismacceptance #assumecapacity #podcast #longformconversation #softrewiring #sciencesis

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In this episode of Change of Mind, Johanna Kate unpacks the one quiet reason your nervous system won’t settle, even when you finally sit down: unfinished business. The Zeigarnik effect explains why half-done tasks linger in the mind, and dopamine explains why your brain keeps poking them like a sore tooth instead of letting you rest.

By the end of this episode, you’ll understand why “just relax” is terrible advice for an overloaded brain, and why mental exhaustion often has nothing to do with laziness or resilience. You’ll see your restlessness for what it is — a predictable neurochemical loop, not a personal flaw.

This matters right now because modern parenting is basically a live demo of constant interruption. Open loops everywhere. No closure. And a brain that evolved to remember unfinished threats doesn’t know the difference between a half-written email and a real emergency.

The science comes from early Gestalt psychology (Bluma Zeigarnik’s original work), modern dopamine research, and cognitive load theory. Together, they explain how task incompletion heightens memory recall, keeps dopamine circuits active, and blocks the shift into genuine rest.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why unfinished tasks stick louder than finished ones
• What dopamine actually does (and doesn’t) do here
• How cognitive load keeps your brain on standby
• Simple ways to close loops without “doing more”

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Silence gets mistaken for absence far too easily. And when that happens, people who don’t use speech end up carrying the cost — socially, emotionally, system-wide.

In this episode of Change of Mind, Johanna Kate breaks down eight common mistakes adults make around non-speaking people, especially autistic people and those with complex communication needs. Not in a call-out way. More in a “we were taught this wrong, here’s the update” way.

By the end of this episode, you’ll see non-speaking communication as exactly that — communication — and understand how subtle assumptions shape behaviour, access, and dignity. This isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being more accurate.

The science matters here. Research in autism, AAC, and cognitive neuroscience shows that speech is a motor output, not a measure of intelligence, comprehension, or intent. Studies on presuming competence, sensory processing differences, and delayed motor planning help explain why so many well-meaning interactions miss the mark.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why speech is a poor proxy for understanding
• How processing time gets misread as disengagement
• The damage done by “testing” instead of communicating
• What AAC research actually says (not what TikTok says)
• Small shifts that make interactions safer and more human

This episode is for parents, clinicians, educators, and anyone who wants to stop guessing and start listening — even when listening doesn’t look the way we were taught it should.

Calm, grounded, and practical. 

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In the last installment of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin and I continued to chat after the official part of the interview wrapped up. I wanted to share some of these candid moments because they show a side to her that I fell in love with - witty, caring, and brilliant as ever.

Part 6 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

About the podcast

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, parenting, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change — in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance the internet usually skips.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

Listen to other episodes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #softrewiring #specialneeds #disabilityparenting #templegrandin #autismawareness #autismparenting #autismacceptance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 5 of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin reflects on ageing, legacy, work, and the principle that has guided her life: assuming capacity.

At 78, Temple is still teaching, mentoring, designing, and advocating. She shares why practical skills matter more than labels, why success looks different for every autistic person, and why parents and carers must sometimes risk disappointment to avoid something worse—regret.

This episode is especially meaningful for parents and carers of autistic children with high support needs, non-speaking children, and those navigating intellectual disability with both realism and hope.

Part 5 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

About the podcast

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, parenting, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change — in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance the internet usually skips.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

Listen to other episodes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #softrewiring #specialneeds #disabilityparenting #templegrandin #autismawareness #autismparenting #autismacceptance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 4 of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin tackles the biggest questions—meaning, belief, morality—and one of the most controversial issues in autism today: facilitated communication and RPM.

Temple shares her views on God, values, and what it means to live a good life, before turning to the ethics of assisted communication, independent typing, and authorship in non-speaking autistic individuals. This episode sits where evidence, lived experience, hope, and caution collide—without tidy answers or slogans.

Thoughtful, nuanced, and practical, this conversation is essential listening for parents, carers, educators, clinicians, and autistic adults navigating communication, autonomy, and ethical support.

🎧 In this episode:

– Temple Grandin on God and the meaning of life

– Autism, purpose, and values

– Facilitated Communication vs RPM

– Independent typing, competence, and ethics

Part 4 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

About the podcast

Change of Mind is a long-form podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, parenting, neurodiversity, and how humans actually change — in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance the internet usually skips.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

Listen to other episodes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #softrewiring #specialneeds #disabilityparenting #templegrandin #autismawareness #autismacceptance #autismparenting

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should stimming be limited, shaped, or simply understood better?

In Part 3 of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin shares her lived experience of stimming, sensory regulation, and learning how to function in a world that isn’t built for autistic nervous systems. She explains why control and context matter, how sensory sensitivities can change over time, and what helped her build impulse control, tolerance, and independence without overwhelm.

This episode offers practical, grounded insight for parents, carers, educators, and clinicians navigating questions around autism, stimming, masking, sensory processing, and support strategies—without fear-based narratives or oversimplified answers.

🎧 In this episode:

– Stimming and self-regulation

– Sensory sensitivity and desensitisation

– Masking, fatigue, and social tolerance

– Supporting independence over time

Part 3 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 2 of this six-part conversation, Temple Grandin reflects on what it was like to see her own brain—and why that mattered.

This episode explores sensory regulation, stimming, deep pressure, and how early experiences shaped Temple’s ability to learn, self-soothe, and build independence. We talk visual thinking, motor memory, skill-building, and her “hardware vs software” model of the brain, alongside candid reflections on brain imaging, genetics, and validation in adulthood.

Grounded, practical, and thoughtful, this conversation is for parents, educators, clinicians, and anyone interested in autism, sensory processing, neurodiversity, and human development—without the hype or oversimplification.

🎧 In this episode:

– Stimming, sensory overload, and self-regulation

– Visual thinking and motor learning

– Autism, genetics, and brain scans

– Supporting progress without limiting potential

This is Part 2 of a 6-part interview series with Temple Grandin.

About the channel

Change of Mind is a podcast and video channel exploring neuroscience, psychology, neurodiversity, mental health, and how humans actually change — in real life, not theory.

Hosted by Johanna Kate, a registered nurse with experience across healthcare, neuroscience, leadership, and motherhood. Expect thoughtful conversations, evidence-informed insights, and the kind of nuance the internet usually skips.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

Watch on YouTube

Part 1: https://youtu.be/8X_BVJLoXkE?si=T17NyUVaujugmwAw

Listen to previous episodes

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6YuybHkjX6CsPX8RqNsYAJ

Follow & connect

Instagram Profile: https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

Instagram Show: https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#templegrandin #autismawareness #autismacceptance #autismparenting #specialneeds #specialneedsparenting #changeofmind #neuroscience #neurodiversity #mentalhealth #autismacceptance #assumecapacity #podcast #longformconversation #softrewiring #sciencesis #sciencesisenergy

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this first part of my conversation with Temple Grandin, we go right back to the beginning — her childhood, her early experiences of being misunderstood, and the moment that changed everything.

This episode is about what happens when adults stop deciding what a child can’t do and start assuming capacity instead. Not competence. Capacity. There’s a difference, and it matters more than most systems are willing to admit. In this series, Temple shares how animals shaped her thinking, how visual reasoning became her strength, and why support, timing, and environment can alter a life trajectory without needing to “fix” a person first. We talk autism, education, misunderstanding, and the long tail of childhood experiences that follow people into adulthood — for better or worse.

This is part one of a longer conversation and it sets the foundation for everything that follows. If you work with children, raise neurodivergent kids, design systems, teach, lead, or simply want to think more carefully about human potential, start here.

Hosted by Johanna Kate.

Watch Episodes:

https://www.youtube.com/@ThisIsJohannaKate

Follow along on Insta:

https://www.instagram.com/thisisjohannakate/

https://www.instagram.com/changeofmindpodcast/

#changeofmind #templegrandin #neurodiversity #autismacceptance #assumecapacity #neuroscience #educationreform #mentalmodels #sciencesis #softrewiring #neuroscience

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is a hello... and a bit of context.

I’m Johanna, a registered nurse with nearly 2 decades of experience across operating theatres and high-pressure healthcare environments. In this first episode of Change of Mind, I share who I am, why this podcast exists, and what we’ll be exploring together.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Who I am and why I'm here
• Everything I love and know that I want to share with you
• Why it might matter to you
• What you can expect from future episodes of Change of Mind

This is a space for curious minds, tired carers, neurodivergent thinkers, and anyone who feels functional on the outside but overloaded on the inside.

No optimisation culture. No pressure to fix yourself. Just evidence-based insight, lived experience, and small shifts that actually stick.

If you’ve ever wondered why knowing better doesn’t always lead to doing better — you’re in the right place.

🎧 New episodes released weekly

📍 Recorded in Australia | Relevant everywhere

Check out the YouTube Video Here:

https://youtu.be/0TfKb-d2f9g

Check out my Insta here:

www.instagram.com/_johanna.kate

Disclaimer:

This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, nursing, or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional care. Always consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs. While I’m a registered nurse with experience in operating theatres, mental health, neuroscience, and motherhood, the content shared here reflects general information and personal insights — not clinical recommendations.

#ChangeOfMind #NeurosciencePodcast #MentalHealthPodcast #SoftRewiring #ScienceSis #ScienceSisEnergy #Neuroplasticity #NervousSystem #MotherhoodAndMind

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.